08/07Result
23rd Match (N), Major League Cricket at Dallas, Jul 8 2026
SF won by 9 wkts (26b rem)
Player of the Match
Lhuan-dre PretoriusSan Francisco Unicorns
08/07Result
23rd Match (N), Major League Cricket at Dallas, Jul 8 2026
SF won by 9 wkts (26b rem)
Player of the Match
Lhuan-dre PretoriusSan Francisco Unicorns

And that's a wrap on today's match, folks. The Match Report will be up anytime soon. Do join us again tomorrow for more MLC action. Until then, this is Rashad Mahbub signing off on behalf of Vairavan Karuppiah and the rest of the Cricinfo crew. Taaa-taaa!

Matthew Short: "[What were you most pleased with?] A good start with the ball, getting wickets in the Powerplay - that's always something we're striving for just to try and put the opposition on the back foot early. We ticked that box, and then the two openers laying the base for us was really handy and made my job easy. [Immanuel's first wicket] Massive for him. He's been pretty crook all day and on his sickbed, so huge credit to him. He's an interesting character, pretty quiet but very skillful. I've faced him a couple of times in the nets and found him pretty tough. He bowled well tonight, and it's nice to see him get his first wicket. [Lhuan-dre Pretorius] He's unbelievable. He keeps performing and making my job easy. It was a bit of a strange one at the end there; I wanted to mention that if he wanted the hundred, he should just let me knock it around, but I couldn't middle it anyway. Credit to him, I don't think he missed the middle of the bat tonight. He's a special talent. [Secure a top two spot] Yeah, absolutely. Obviously, the finals are the main goal. Sneaking in there is first, but now top two is probably on the cards to get us to San Fran in front of our home fans and go from there."

Player of the Match, Lhuan-dre Pretorius: "[First time getting to three figures] Thank you. The first thing on my mind was getting the team over the line and winning the game. But I would be lying if I said the hundred didn't play in the back of my mind, because I've fallen short a couple of times. It was good fun, and I'm really happy we got the win. [Conversation with the skipper] We just joked about it now, actually. We didn't really talk about it out there at all. At the back of my mind, I really wanted the hundred, but the most important part was to get the team over the line, and I'm glad we could do it. I'm a believer that if it's meant to be, it's meant to be, and luckily it was tonight. [Top of the table] Yeah, really good. It's one of the best environments I've played cricket in. I haven't played in a lot of teams yet, but it's one of the best, if not the best, I've been a part of. I'm really grateful to be here. It's so much fun. [You just love hitting big sixes] I was actually using Finn's [Allen] bat. I think if I used my own bats, I wouldn't be able to hit those big sixes. I'll ask him nicely now if I can have the bat and keep it in my bag."

Nicholas Pooran: "First of all, all praise and thanks to Jesus. It was always going to be tricky. 143 on a really, really good batting pitch - we know once the lights come on, it makes it difficult for the bowlers as well. We were a bit short there, but obviously, congrats to the Unicorns. They outplayed us not only today but in LA as well. [Discussion in the innings break] Obviously, it was just going to be a difficult task. It's all about attitude for us and trying to push the game as deep as possible. In T20 cricket, you never know what happens. Our bowlers fought pretty nicely, but Lhuan-dre played a beautiful innings. I think that's his first T20 century, and it's great to see a young kid showing us all how to do it here in Major League Cricket. Congrats to him. Hopefully, we can take some learnings from this game. [Get your group back and ready] Yeah, that's T20 cricket, right? One minute you're on top of the table, and the next you're struggling to win games. Winning and losing are both contagious, and we know how that goes. For us, it's just about putting a complete performance together, and hopefully, we can peak at the right time. Hopefully, it's sooner rather than later."

10:56 pm It was a completely one-sided affair, thanks to Lhuan-dre Pretorius and his heroics with the bat. Smashed for 14 runs, Boult's opening over set the tone for the Unicorns' chase, with Pretorius leading the charge before Allen joined the party for a short time. When these two are on song, very few bowling attacks in the world can put a restraint on them. The Unicorns raced to 52 without loss in the Powerplay, though Allen departed right after the fielding restrictions were removed, deceived by a slower delivery from Shepherd. Pretorius then brought up his fifty off 30 balls and continued to showcase his power-hitting skills all around the ground, in the process becoming the highest run-scorer of this MLC season. He stayed until the very end to bring up his maiden T20 century off just 52 balls, a sensational knock studded with 10 fours and 5 sixes. Matthew Short provided excellent support from the other end, absorbing the pressure and allowing the young gun to play with all guns blazing. It was a clinical, composed performance with the bat, and New York simply had no answers. Shepherd was the only bowler who caused any real trouble with his slower variations, picking up the solitary wicket to fall while remaining economical. The other bowlers proved expensive, caught cleanly in the crossfire of the Pretorius fireworks. With this comprehensive victory, the San Francisco Unicorns extend their lead at the top of the table with two games remaining. While MI New York's hopes of advancing to the next round remain alive, they face a couple of must-win fixtures coming up next.

San Francisco Unicorns won by 9 wickets

15.4
4
Ugarkar to Pretorius, FOUR, Lhuan-dre Pretorius finishes the game with a boundary and brings up his maiden T20 century! Take a bow, young man. What a knock on a pitch where the batters found it difficult to bat with rhythm throughout the game. Ugarkar bowls another slower delivery angling away wide outside off, premeditates across the line and gets inside the line of the ball to flick it away, brilliant use of the wrists once again to place this one in front of square, great exhibition of timing and placement!
15.3
6
Ugarkar to Pretorius, SIX, Clears the ropes comfortably! LDP moves to 98! Length ball angling away outside the off stump channel, moves across and gets inside the line of the ball, whips it over the fine leg ropes
15.2
1
Ugarkar to Short, 1 run, slower bouncer ball outside off, plays the swivel pull shot to deep midwicket
15.1
0
Ugarkar to Short, no run, fuller length ball clipped to short midwicket

9 runs needed off 30 balls. Lhuan-dre Pretorius needs 8 to get to his maiden T20 century. Ugarkar to bowl his last over now.

END OF OVER:
15 | 19 Runs | SF: 135/1 (9 runs required from 30 balls, RR: 9.00, RRR: 1.80)

  • Lhuan-dre Pretorius92 (50b)
  • Matthew Short18 (23b)
  • Trent Boult3-0-41-0
  • Rushil Ugarkar3-0-21-0
14.6
4
Boult to Pretorius, FOUR, Poor delivery from Boult. Slower bouncer sliding down the leg side, and LDP charges down the track and helps it away behind square for a boundary
14.5
1
Boult to Short, 1 run, full on the pads, tries to flick it away, under-edges onto the pad
14.5
1w
Boult to Short, 1 wide, bowls a widish yorker pitching outside the off-side tramline, no shot offered
14.4
1
Boult to Pretorius, 1 run, fuller length ball on middle-leg, works it away to long on
14.3
4
Boult to Pretorius, FOUR, Exquisite timing and placement! Fuller length ball pitching well outside off, gets inside the line of the ball and hammers it through the covers, holds the pose for the photographers!
14.2
4
Boult to Pretorius, FOUR, Pulled away! Slower bouncer ball on the stumps channel, gets on top of the bounce and finds the gap past the midwicket sweeper fielder
14.1
4
Boult to Pretorius, FOUR, Straight as an arrow! Boult darts it full and straight on the stumps, presents the full face of the bat and struck it cleanly, just lands inside the ropes at long off

Trent boult in

END OF OVER:
14 | 10 Runs | SF: 116/1 (28 runs required from 36 balls, RR: 8.28, RRR: 4.66)

  • Matthew Short17 (22b)
  • Lhuan-dre Pretorius75 (45b)
  • Rushil Ugarkar3-0-21-0
  • Sunny Patel3-0-36-0
13.6
4
Ugarkar to Short, FOUR, back of a length ball on the pads, shuffles across and tickles off the bat, beats QDK behind the stumps and rolls away towards the ropes
13.5
1
Ugarkar to Pretorius, 1 run, widish length ball slashes it hard and finds the deep cover fielder
13.5
1w
Ugarkar to Pretorius, 1 wide, sprays it too wide outside off, tries to play the reverse sweep and does not connect
13.4
1
Ugarkar to Short, 1 run, hard length ball on the stumps line, charges down the track and bludgeons it hard to long off
13.3
1
Ugarkar to Pretorius, 1 run, offers width outside off, slaps it hard to deep backward point
13.2
1
Ugarkar to Short, 1 run, good length ball pace off on the stumps, pushes with soft hands to long on
13.1
1
Ugarkar to Pretorius, 1 run, pitched up front wide outside off, extends his arms and reaches for it, works it away to deep midwicket

END OF OVER:
13 | 16 Runs | SF: 106/1 (38 runs required from 42 balls, RR: 8.15, RRR: 5.42)

  • Lhuan-dre Pretorius72 (42b)
  • Matthew Short11 (19b)
  • Sunny Patel3-0-36-0
  • Rushil Ugarkar2-0-11-0
12.6
1
Sunny Patel to Pretorius, 1 run, shortish length ball drags it down to long on

Around the wicket

12.5
1
Sunny Patel to Short, 1 run, length ball non-turner on the pads, squeezes it to the on-side area

over the wicket to Short

12.4
1
Sunny Patel to Pretorius, 1 run, back of a length ball knocks it across the line for a single

around the wicket

12.3
6
Sunny Patel to Pretorius, SIX, Into the midwicket stands! Floated a fuller length ball in the slot on the pads, sits down on the track and gets underneath the line of the ball, smashes it and evades the midwicket region. 100 up for the Unicorns.
12.2
2
Sunny Patel to Pretorius, 2 runs, googly ball slower through the air, commits off the front foot and clips it to deep square leg for a couple of runs
12.1
4
Sunny Patel to Pretorius, FOUR, Swings it away! Long hop ball with a hint of turn, makes room outside leg and heaves it away over midwicket, one bounce and onto the ropes